86 Completing the Tempering Heart Trial (1/2)
POTENTIAL STAGE
Unaware of the danger that Chàng Bo was facing, Mao Lu calmly floated in his River of Stars. There was something very relaxing about having absolute control over a world. There was no fear of death, there was no feeling of incompleteness and no questions. Mao Lu already had all the answers, there was this endless feeling of security and satisfaction, it was an addictively relaxing sensation.
His mind and body felt light and soothed, the essences obeyed his every command, there were no restrictions.
As he lazily floated, Mao Lu playfully interacted with the Time Essences around him. He learnt so much new information about them, for example, Time was like the synapses in the nervous system and all the other Essences were impulses and instructions and nerves that travelled through these synapses. Without Time all the other Essences would simply fall apart and their functions would become futile. The same way impulses, memories and the instructions within a body can't be realised without the synapses.
Using Time to reverse processes or forward them was only a fundamental skill. He could use Time to make entirely new processes. Time was the bridge the foundation of all reactions, with Time he could rebuild it and shape it into new processes. It was a shame that he was restricted to using Time in only one specific way, there were endless possibilities in how he could use Time, endless skills. It was wrong for such power to be restricted in such a way, but then again if it wasn't than Time Gatekeepers would be far too powerful.
Mao Lu wondered how Argenti used Time. He remembered the barrier Argenti had made when she and Obsidian had come to his house that one time. She had made a mini-realm within his realm, a separate space. Perhaps that was her specific way of using time.
That skill had seemed so amazing to Mao Lu when he'd seen it, but he realised it was simply a parlour trick. If Argenti had full control Time and albeit overall essences, such a thing as creating barriers or separate spaces could be done with simply a thought.
As this thought occurred to him, several small bubbles appeared around him, within these bubbles were miniature versions of his universe. Mao Lu watched as they floated off into the distance.
Time was manipulation, time was order, time holds precedence over reality and form. With Time, Mao Lu could make limitless dimensions and split this reality into various fragments and possibilities. Time was the beginning and the end, for reality only ceased when Time stopped. Time was the foundation.
Mao Lu felt giddy with the power and the unlimited potential he had at his fingertips, no wonder Gatekeepers had such rules and restrictions. This power was so terrifying, there were endless possibilities to what he could do.
If he had this power and he went back to Realm 145, he could change the very nature of his realm on a whim.
\”My attraction to Chàng Bo isn't simply physical there really is something about us, something connecting us.\” He mumbled.
He stroked the gold sword which was still strapped to his belt. The sword sparked the moment he touched it, it caused the space around Mao Lu to crackle and all the essences to flinch and quiver.
\”Time isn't the ultimate Essence, above Time Quintessence and even above that there is more.\” Came a voice.
Mao Lu was startled, he felt his control over his world slipping, and then suddenly he was no longer in his universe. He was in a separate space. Sitting on a velvet red cushion in a room filled with draping red linen curtains and silk fabrics.
A man was sitting opposite him. He had vibrant blonde hair that was every shade of lightning, it sparked and crackled with blue electricity. His skin appeared smooth and whiter than snow. His plump lips were as red as blood and his big blue eyes were like a Cold star.
As Mao Lu looked at him felt a strange feeling of familiarity. This man, something about him, resembled Chàng Bo.
\”You look different, but not in a bad way.\” Said the Mysterious man. Mao Lu didn't know how to respond, he was extremely confused. \”Who are you?\” he asked.
The Man gave a helpless grin and answered, \”My name is Cahir, Cahir Alerian. Well only a small piece of Cahir, a fragment of his soul that lives in your sword.\”
Mao Lu thought about the engraved words on the sword, \”So you're C?\”
\”And you're M\” he replied calmly
Mao Lu blinked, \”How could I be? We only just met…\” Mao Lu trailed off, he remembered how the Light Trial had mentioned that the sword was connected to him as if it was a remnant from his previous life, not to mention Cahir eerily resembled Chàng Bo.
\”You're from my previous life, you're the previous Chàng Bo!\” He exclaimed.
Cahir smiled at him, a warm toothy grin, \”So we've already met, good. Chàng Bo, is that my new name? I'm not sure if I like it or not.
Mao Lu was excited and stared at Cahir with a starry-eyed expression, so his love for Chàng Bo really went beyond lifetimes. They were meant to be! He was so excited, he wanted to know everything.
He fidgeted on his red cushion as he asked, \”How did we meet? What gender was I in your lifetime? Did we ever get married, do we have cute nicknames? Where did we go on our honeymoon!!?\”
Cahir starred at him blankly for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. \”You're absolutely adorable, you still have that naive innocence. I love it.\” Cahir sniggered a few times before answering.
\”We met when I crash landed on your planet, I was an outsider and you were planning to execute me, but then we became friends and I told you about how amazing the Endless Plains were. So you threw your throne aside and we set out on an adventure together.\”
This answer caused all kinds of new questions to pop up in Mao Lu's head, such as what were the Endless Plains?
Before he could ask Cahir continued, \”You were male. Marriage? If you mean confirming our relationship through a special ceremony than we have done that, and I have no idea what a honeymoon is, never heard of such a thing. And as for cute nicknames, I call you Jungle boy sometimes and you call me Sparky.\”